I have truly been a bad blogger...

I realize that I have not blogged in almost a year (shame on you Denise).  I am currenlty traveling once again all over the country looking for best practices of schools.  So far, I have witnessed many inspiring practices helping to mold the minds of tomorrow's highest achievers.  I will continue to touch base on my blogging thoughts during my travels, but I would also like to catch up on some topics that I feel have been  taking up most of my thought process as I continue to prepare to open KIPP Generations Collegiate next year! 

I will post some new stuff soon...

What defines me...

I am currently on holiday vacation in Brownsville enjoying my two week stay with my family (in name and friends).  One of my friends asked me why I had not blogged in awhile, and to be honest, I guess I just haven't had the energy or the time for that matter (more of a timing issue).  AND, to be completely transparent, I haven't wanted to come off as grim because of the changes occurring in my life.  Moving to Houston was quite a huge ordeal for me... and I frankly put on my best smile for the last year so that I wouldn't show everyone how scared I really was to leave my hometown and how sad I was to leave my friends and family.  I now have successfully come to grip that I no longer live in Brownsville, and that I am a full-fledged Houstonian.  Although this last year and half has been quite an adjustment, I can now see the positive impact moving to Houston has made on my life.  I know that many of you will comment on the amount of work and time I put into the career I have chosen for myself, and I hope everyone knows by now that the work I do is a choice for me, and I love every minute I put into it.  While I type this message, I am facebooking and chatting with my two of my bestest buddies (my cousing Ana and my bestie Amanda :).  What is so funny to me is the fact that what we are doing right now is what I miss the most about living in Brownsville!  I have had a fantastic time spending time with everyone and chatting with my girls (sisters and friends)... this is what I miss the most, and this is why my transition has been difficult.  Get a load of my facebook statuses...

(2009 Facebook Reflections)

As you can see, my facebook statuses from this year reflect what has been going on in my head the last year.  I am ready to start anew.  I am ready to embrace my Houstonian life and invite you to be a part of the new me.  I will be traveling and spending much time trying to close the global achievement gap throughout this year, and I will continue to update my blog to keep you posted on my activities.  Let this be the beginning of a new blogging season.  And how fitting to reengage with the blog while I am on vacation with the family I love so much.  I will be updating pics and stories soon! 

Love ya, Niecy

Top 20 Adventures in Houston this year so far...

(Me getting dressed for a night at Sammi's... dancing the night away and injuring my knee more and more!)

(Ladee turned 9 this year!)

(My birthday picture at the Angelika Film Center in Houston!!!!)

(Shannon and I at the KIPP Quinceneara)

(Florence [student of mine from KIPP] and I buying $1,700 of books at Half Price Books)
(Dickie and I buying books with the English Department... looking sketchy)

I am writing this blog entry as a reflection of the year that has passed that I have yet to log. I know... I know... I am a horrible blogger, and most of the people who know me fear that I have had zero life since I have moved to Houston. BUT, I beg to differ. Because I did not have a camera before this last weekend (my birthday weekend... and a sweet present from my best friend), I did not have pictures to log what I have done. I am currently preparing for my third summer in NYC, and you know that I will log all of my adventures there. BUT, before I did that, I wanted to list the top 20 Adventures I've had in Houston thus far... here they are in no particular order:

1. Ladee turned 9 this year!

2. Ozomatli Concert: October 27, 2008 - Warehouse Live... Shannon and I had a blast!!!!! We have the t-shirt to prove it!
3. Cool Halloween party at Trey's house (I have the chola pictures to prove it!!!!)
4. KUHF Presents a Silent Film Concert at Discovery Green- Phantom of the Opera: ADM (Hay Dios Mio)... this was fantastic experience. We took a blanket and laid in the grass at Discovery Green Park while watching a black and white version of Phantom of the Opera and listening to a trio play the score... the best night!
5. University of Texas at Austin Graduation... I saw Manny (my son from Pace) graduate from UT as an Engineer (and now he is living in Houston making a ton of more money than I am). This was a momentous night!
6. Became a participant for KIPP's Latino Focus Group as one of the few Latina women who will represent as a school leader!
7. Chaperoned a trip to the Renaissance Festival... my cousin and Ana and friend Steve have been talking about this festival for years! It was pretty fantastic.
8. Became a recruiter for the Summer Principal's Academy -- had the chance to support and represent Columbia's program! This was a great night... I had the chance to really speak up for the organization and recruit some phenomenal future school leaders!
9. Went to a Dafnis Prieto Sextet Concert!!!!! This was a truly enjoyable evening of music that blew my mind!
10. Patti Vasquez's One Woman Show "Mamacita"- I attended this event at the local Latino theatre Talento Bilingue... GREAT THEATER!!!! Made me want to go back to acting!
11. Attended a concert at Rice University - Emerson String Quartet - magnificence and elegance at its finest.
12. Visited Boston- for the 1st time!!!! Saw Harvard... and I ate taquitos in Boston!
13. RENT--- saw the play twice in one weekend at the Hobby Center
14. Kathy Griffin- saw the comedian with my buddies from Brownsville at the Toyota Center
15. Walk for LUPUS-- walked my first LUPUS support walk in honor of Shannon's mom... this was awesome
16. Rebecca's Graduation-- Saw my baby girl graduate from high school... she will be a freshman at the University of Texas this fall!
17. Del Castillo concert at Discovery Green-- another lawn chair evening of music from one of my favorite bands!!!! They are simply the best ever!
18. Bill Gates-- Met the man and he visited my classroom!!!!
19. June 6, 2009-- One of my best birthdays ever!!!!!!!!! Karaoke, Dave & Busters, Lunch at the Aloha Grill, Dinner in Kemah, Movie of Rudo y Cursi... honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better day!
20. Rode the Ferris Wheel at the Aquarium in Houston (this was high and extremely scary!)

I have yet to mention the phenomenal people I have met, the beautiful family and friend support system I have back home, my wonderful students, and the great city of Houston that has welcomed my little pumpkin Ladee and I with open arms. Now looking back, I have done quite a bit in just 9 months! No wonder I am exhausted! Not to mention the great books I have read this year... I just finished the Autobiography of Malcolm X and I am reading 100 Years of Solitude. This has been a blessed year for me, and I will continue to be thankful for all of the blessings that have come my way.

Look for updates from NYC!
Love, Denise

KIPP: My future

I know... I know... I have not blogged; I have not called; and there is no excuse for my behavior. Never mind that I have been sleeping on an air mattress for two weeks. Never mind that I had an extreme cold during my first week teaching with students; Never mind that my knee has given out, and I can barely walk. Never mind any of that.

The one thing that is keeping me together right now: School. I'll be honest, I would have never admitted this to any of you personally, but the thought of, "WHAT DID I DO!" has run through my head. I am happy with my decision. I just need to get out of my own way. I need to rest. I need to make a home. Before I make any judgements, I owe myself this.

I do miss everyone with everything I have, but I carry you with me always. Even as I sit in a Panera using the free Wifii (I have not yet received my Internet services because I am never home to receive the package!!!!!!!), I think of Noemi who introduced me to Panera when we drove to Illinois for her first year of residency. I fell in love with the Poppy seed dressing then, and now that I have been using the Internet here for about 4 hours, I'm thinking of ordering a poppy seed salad to go! As school started, I walked into a school of welcoming individuals, who I will say have been the most helpful and so giving. I do miss my Brownsville gang on Friday/Saturday nights when I want to go to a movie or play cards or just chill at Manda/Ana's home. And I miss my family.

AND MOST OF ALL MY LITTLE LADEE!!!!!!

Soon, I will begin to nest and begin to reveal all of the intricate stories that are unraveling for me. I have included some pictures so that you may see a bit of what my new school looks like. I almost cried when I saw the nameplate on my door!!! Isn't that cool! (But honestly, do they have to broadcast my road map of college successes and failures!) I love you all, and I will update this soon. I promise.

By the way my pictures are fuzzy because my camera is ___________!

3 weeks down before the big show.

I have realized that it has been forever since I have blogged. And I have realized that with the multitude of happenings in my life for the last three weeks I do not know if I can every put into words what I have been going through. I have had to really delve into myself to see the leader I am or that I should be. This has been a difficult time for me. This year's New York trip has not been ladden with excursions on the weekends, long phone calls at night, dinner with friends... this year's trip has truly been centered on creating a new school and culminating the end of my studies at Teachers College. I am sure that my colleagues are facing the same challenges, and when the director of the program told us last year that we would be extremely busy and that all of the other happenings of our life would have to take a back seat... I didn't know he meant what has been going on now. I do not have time to make phone calls, sleep, or anything else for that matter...so what I have had to do is take Denise in the city days. Today is one of them (well sort of... because I'm still working on homework).


So above is a picture of me after I went for a haircut in 'The Heights', and I had a wonderful experience. I wish I could cut my hair here all of the time! Tamar and I took the above ground 125th train to 181st... here we are pre-haircut!


Here are a few other pictures... like Tamara, Ally and I watching the fireworks on the 4th of July... we were wet with rain, and we didn't get to see much.

Here's a picture of me and some of my colleagues on our way to the Lincoln Center for a panel meeting about Imagination and Leadership...a wonderful opportunity. I went to a studio and I felt like I was taping an episode of James Lipton's 'Inside the Actor's Studio'.


And finally, here's a picture of my teammate Rhonda and I. We were working extremely hard on our school's vision and mission. The Climb High Leadership Academy is on its way! I'll blog more later! Miss and love everyone!

Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0... my new outlook on leadership.

As a requirement of my Resource Allocation course, the members of my cohort were required to take the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. I am now a true believer in the power of finding out what I am made of! I found this assessment to be extremely revealing as to who I am as a leader, and how I should use my strengths in becoming an even better leader. I strongly suggest you take a look at this assessment to focus your efforts not on your weaknesses, but on what you should focus on - your strengths... happy finding!



The Strength within Me
I often find the question, “What do you define as your strengths?, an interesting question when being interviewed, and I will admit, I often answer truthfully and honestly that my strengths involve my commitment and dedication to whatever I set my mind to and whatever I value as a person, educator, and leader. Upon viewing my results for the StrengthsFinder report, I was not shaken by what I learned; more so, I felt and feel reaffirmed in that what I value as strengths in others is exactly what I embody as strengths myself.

I find the fact that my colleagues whom I have developed close relationships with in the short amount of time we have physically spent together during our coursework for the Summer Principal’s Academy recognize that the strengths of Winning Others Over (WOO), Communication, Restorative, Achiever, and Belief describe the person they see me to be on a daily basis. I find that my WOO strength to be surprising as my top theme, but after reflection I see that I may be a closet WOOer. I am not as outspoken as my fellow WOOers in the class, but I do see how the characteristics of wanting to make others feel comfortable and wanting to build relationships with people I find interesting epitomize how I approach new people and old friends. Interestingly with all that we have experienced as far as testing ourselves to see the true leaders we are, this StregthsFinder test reinforces all of the other coursework. For example, as far as being a transactional/transformational leader in our Decision-Making course with Dr. Richards, I realize that the Achiever and Restorative strengths in me lend myself to my transactional daily style of wanting to have agendas and solve problems that come into view, yet the Belief and Communication Strengths lead me to spread my vision and mission so that all stakeholders understand where I am coming from. Through Ellie Drago-Severson’s course we learned about the Instrumental, Socializing, and Self-Authoring Knower, and although many of my colleagues would categorize themselves as Self-Authoring Knowers because they feel that there is a hierarchy to learning styles, I have always known that I was a Socializing Knower. My top themes of being a WOOer, Communicative, and Achieving person all represent the validation and people focused learning I embody in everything I do. In Dr. Robin Stern’s Emotional Competency course I learned that I needed to focus on understanding my worth and how I have a positive effect on others impacting what they do without realizing that I do have power over others. This to me would categorize the most surprising realization of self in that the reason I have scored myself so low during my ECI questionnaire deals with my heritage as a Mexican-American woman raised with the beliefs that I am to be humble and never boastful of what I can do and who I am; therefore, the realization that the strength of Belief grounds me in core values that are unchanging ring true to who I view myself culturally. And most recently through Professor Maltbia’s NBI results, I find a strong connection in that I scored highest in the L2 Preserver/ Organizer realm where these results coincide with the Achiever/Belief Strength. These test results coincide in that they both represent that I have strength in traditions and “practice that are followed and respected” and that I “prefer to plan, organize and arrange things”. Even as I type this report, I amazed at all that I have learned about myself intellectually, emotionally, socially, and independently.

Currently in our Ethics/Law coursework, we have been engaged in reading a book titled Defining Moments by Joseph L. Badaracco, and I see the results of the Stregthsfinder assessment to be my defining moment as an emerging leader. The epiphany which has consumed my mind for the last week stems from the realization that I now understand what Dr. Richards has been asking of us as leaders. We must embody the self-awareness and reflective practices we are being taught so that we understand how to deal with ourselves emotionally and how to deal with others socially and intellectually. As leaders of schools, it is to the detriment of our success that we understand our limitations as well as our visionary dreams so that we understand how and when to use the resources surrounding our schools.

Understanding these principle strengths, I envision an administrative staff who will play to my strengths and my weaknesses as we work together to build a cohesive team of leaders who will serve the community of students we serve. I envision a staff that must be understanding yet challenging to each other in developing the whole child and developing each other as well. I envision developing hiring committees who embody different strengths in aiding me in developing the faculty and staff of the school I will spearhead so that we can work together to find the most suitable teachers and staff to work with the students we represent leaving no stone unturned. I envision guiding leaders in delegation and asking others for guidance where I may not be able to complete tasks or a task may not play to one of my strengths; I need to understand that asking others for aid fosters the leader in them as well as meets the need for managing and leading a school.

All in all, finding and discovering my strengths leads me to understand why I am a leader in education. My business involves the business of people. My strengths show that the choice I made for myself in education was a choice I made for people. And in regards to resource allocation, I have found where my strengths needed to be utilized… in the forefront…as the leader…as the strong leader I am.

Anticipation of a new semester...

I am sitting here at the Teachers College library trying to organize me thoughts for a new school day tomorrow. I found myself fortunate to meet witht he new Summer Principal's Academy cohort coming in and starting tomorrow. As Vice-President of the SPA Council, I, along with the president and chairman, welcomed the new cohort to a challenging summer semester. I was happy to meet with the rest of my cohort today, and as last year, we are wondering what is going to happen during tomorrow's classes.

I am excited because my friend Tamara is here with me this year, and I am thankful to her for helping see what this program has to offer. It's still so hard for me to wrap my head around what I have to do, but I have to do it! The readings for my Law and Ethics class are numerous and wil keep me up most nights. Well... I guess I should stop procrastinating and get down to business. Talk to you soon!